Monday, August 1, 2011

From Birth to Now

So I graduated from residency 4 days after I had her; enjoy her pics-  http://alysonvoth.zenfolio.com/p174662114 
I have been out a couple of times with my husband and even had some salsa dance lessons with some friends.  Thank God for the breast pump because I am able to just leave (usually for one feeding) and instruct people on what to do.  My goal is to feed her breast milk till she is a year.  It is free for one, and I also want to make show that she has all of the great benefits of breast milk, including decreasing her chances of obesity and its many complications; protect her from getting sick and potential for allergies which I hate dealing with by the way;  it also decreases my chances of breast cancer and so on and so forth (don't mind me- the doctor in me came out)
She has been growing like crazy and has started to do a lot of things especially smile back at me. The picture below was taken at 5 weeks old.
My sister lasted one week and went back to work but has unfailingly sent a lot of love our way; my grandma has been here ever since; my mom came for 3 weeks (that is all her work allowed her) and she is gone now.  My dad, brothers, and other sister wishes they could be here but we will be closer soon and they will have no excuse then lol My grandma and mom felt like I know too much for them to help me, because of my profession so I had to let them know a few times how much I have learned.  My grandmother is difficult to understand sometimes though but it is not her fault since she isn't educated and this is what she's always been told.

Some of the odd things that I can remember she's told me is that pregnant/ postpartum women shouldn't touch cold water; when I want to eat something she will tell me it is not yet time to eat that huh! I will often say and do as I please lol  She feels the baby needs to drink water (their kidneys don't know yet what to do with water and their little belly's gets easily full and water has no nutrients); she also needs "tangele" for her eyes- since it is itching (my response she is tired let me put her to sleep).  I didn't realize what that was so she showed me on tv a woman with an eye pencil and then I remembered seeing the "tangele" as a kid.  It isn't really make up.  I was told a few times not to carry her in attempt to comfort her since I'm tempting her with the smell of the breast milk. Then she asks me when does she start eating some crushed up food since my breast milk is not filling her up. This baby was weighing in last week at 11 ibs 9 oz, making plenty poops and pee, she is wearing 6 months old clothes, I pump out 6-8 oz each time what do we want for her to be? an elephant! Get this one if your baby's pee enters your pot of soup, you keep cooking (ok urine is sterile but how did this happen again???) and if the poop enters your pot of soup you scoop out that part and go on cooking (wait! again how did this happen???)

When her belle button stump fell she told me that you don't throw it away, as she was explaining what you do with it, I quickly threw it in the gabage for fear that she may want to feed it to the baby.  There is so much that i didn't know sometimes I feel bad asking her why since she has raised 13 children, my mom being one of them.

But some of these things makes no sense and she doesn't understand why I need an explanation and my explanations also makes no sense to her since her way worked, it has worked for many who came before me, what more explanations do I need. But my grandma is also very smart she can tell you from memory the important milestones that a child should meet- it is amazing. well I guess u should be an expert after 13 children.

On another note, we've been packing small, small to move.  Hubby and my siblings painted the baby's room.  I've been busy washing clothes, bottles, sterilizing and so on, my husband took care of these things when he was here, and now grandma is learning a ton of things.  My husband constantly tells her that "Beke wu agbara" lol
I only wish my baby would switch her days and nights, but Ive had a perfect baby so far and I thank God for her everyday and can't complain too much.
 I will someday post her birth story

9 comments:

9jaFOODie said...

She looks sooo adorable! Congrats again!

Rhapsody Phoenix said...

Blessings.....
Breast milk does have great benefits however decreasing chances of obesity, I hardly think so, most women in the caribbean breast fed their children way beyond 1 year and it did not to decrease their children chances of being plump.

Try raising your child with a healthy life style, not introducing too much sweets and starches and give her small portions and don't force her to clean her plate. Ensure she has daily exercises as part of her daily routines. Let her know its ok to leave some food on her plate.

P.E.T. Projects said...

Tehehehehe, your grandma is hillarious, how would pee or poo get into your pot in the first place?
Your baby's beautiful.

Nenyenwa said...

thanks 9ja foodie and lol to P.E.T; @ Rhapsody u r right there is no magic in breast milk the reason we talk about it reducing the risk of obesity is that breastfed kids know when to stop feeding and you cannot force them to suck, they have to work hard to get the milk out. However if Carribeans are like Nigerians they start introducing all kinds of food sometimes adding formula to breastmilk, If the child is gaining weight appropriately do not force feed, all that does is wire the child's brain to always eat even though they feel full. My grandma will often ask me why throw away this little bottle of breast milk cant we make her eat it and I remind her that we will never make my child eat anything not now or never. Since I do not plan to force feed or encourage her to feed more than she needs she does want the breast sometimes every 1-2 hrs which is tempting to listen to my mom and grandma but i got used to it now :) and for all those who do not feed their child like our people it will decrease your chances of obesity too.

N.I.L (Naijamum in London) said...

Congrats again on the baby. She looks divine

Re: your grandma....I always nod my head and agree to whatever elders advise...Then do it my way.

Less hassle.

Myne said...

She is so cute!

Your grandma had 13 children, wow.

deolascope said...

U have a lovely girl. Looks quite big for her age. But try and take it easy on the breast feeding. Believe me, one year is a very long time to squeeze ur breasts.... With a good diet, she'll be just fine if you introduce healthy foods at six months and give urself a break. She'll still be very very healthy...

Nenyenwa said...

deolascope thanks for stopping by, please stop by again. Thanks for your input. I don't plan to solely breastfeed for a year. I will start introducing solids but I am not yet overwhelmed and actually enjoying it.

Nenyenwa said...

@ Myne and @ N.I.L thanks so much